Forget Me, Sloane

Brooks University, Book 2

De: Hannah Gray

Narrado por: Joe Arden, Erin Mallon

Five. That’s how old I was when I picked up a ball for the very first time during flag football—something my mom had signed me up for.

Nine. That’s when I decided I’d stop at nothing until I played football at the highest level.

Fifteen. That’s when my father informed me that the only future I had was working at his private investigation firm.

Seventeen. That’s when I tried to escape the future that had been laid out for me. Tried to cut all ties that connected me to my own blood. Spoiler alert: It didn’t work. They still own me.

Eighteen. That’s when I was told if I completed this one job, I’d be cut loose. Free. I’d finally be free. It seemed easy enough.

Then, I meet her. You know, the one who makes you do all kinds of stupid, wacky stuff because you feel things you’ve never felt before. Yeah…that’s the one.

Here’s the real kicker: What happens when the girl you’ve likely already fallen in love with is the one you need to betray in order to leave behind a life you can’t stand?

Well, that’s a damn good question. I’m dying to know myself.

*This is a stand alone novel in the Brooks University series. This is Sloane and Knox's story.

©2021 Hannah Gray (P)2022 Hannah Gray

Can Knox Forget Sloane?

A great swoon worthy college sport romance. I love how these two voice actors to Knox and Sloane. This is a lovely coming of age story.

Started off slow for me....

This story started off super slow for me or maybe I was just super distracted. It eventually picked up. I really enjoyed the middle to the ending. The narration was ok, not sure how I feel about Erin's southern voice. But Joe Arden was phenomenal 👏🏼 I feel as if the first half of the book was centered more on Cole and Ally and it wasn't even their book.

Hanna never dissapoints!

I've read a few Hanna Grey books now and she never let's me down. You get everything from her books and more. Pick up any book of hers and you'll be hooked! Audio was great!

Forget Me, Sloane (Brooks University, #2)

PERFORMANCE REVIEW: Joe Arden & Erin Mallon are two of my favorite narrators and they both did an excellent job bring this story to life and capturing Knox and Sloane’s character. Well done!

STORY REVIEW: You wanna know what really gets me all excited and want to shout from rooftops? Well, when an author achieves what I perceive to be the impossible and they do it spectacularly! Wanna know what I perceive to be an impossibility? Creating a story about young kids without making me #twitchy and/or want to stick an icepick in my eyeballs. HANNAH GRAY IS MY HERO!

Listen, I’m not saying that I’ve never read YA/NA romance fiction that was spectacularly done or that Hannah Gray is some sort of anomaly with the world’s best word wizardry, but I am saying that while listening to both Love, Ally and Forget Me, Sloane I never once thought about their age and the ridiculousness that is normal behavior for anyone in their late teens / early twenties. NOT ONCE PEOPLE! Do with all that information what you will :) but you should probably drop everything and buy every book she has ever written. Just some friendly advice from one avid reader to whomever is reading this review!

I did a promotional #bingelisten for both these stories and I’m choosing to review them both as one because it’s not like I’m going to give away any plot-points about the story and also, they’re both happening on the same(ish) timeline and you should not read/listen to one without the other. I mean technically one could say these are standalones inside the Brooks University world, but no. More information for you to do with what you will :)

Love, Ally is a 5+ STAR story but Forget Me, Sloane is more like a 4 STAR.

****SPOILER AHEAD****

Why does Forget Me, Sloane get 4 stars you ask? ….

✔️ I hated how far the author took Sloane’s inability to get past the mistake that Knox made because as a reader, we lived through his remorse from almost the minute he did the thing and frankly, he took steps from almost the beginning of his deceit to walk it back. He may not have verbally stated to Sloane his deceit, but he did try to walk-it back. That entire plot-point came across as out of character.
✔️ Maybe this is just a me thing, but I’m pretty sure most people don’t drop F-bombs left and right when speaking with their parents, no matter how old they are. The F word is one of my all time favorite words but even at 52 years old, I’m not screaming it at my parents … *blink*
✔️ The healing time for a complete craniotomy, collapsed lung, broken wrist and collarbone didn’t sit right with me. The story wasn’t specific enough for me to say the research was flawed, but it just felt wrong. *shrug*

*****END SPOILER****

I know I’ve only experienced two stories by this author which is a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things, but I’m quite certain just from this experience that she’s a writer I’m going to keep my eye out for. The stories were relatable and realistic and very compelling. She packed enough of a punch in each story to make them emotional but didn’t quite cross the line into dark angst, which I appreciated.

Okay, enough words from me! Go forth and enjoy ….

Engaging characters

A couple of things drew me to this book. I like sports romance, and it's narrated by Joe Arden and Erin Mallon. I always know I can count on these narrators to give a good performance, and they do not disappoint. Erin Mallon captures Sloane's feelings and transformation perfectly. Then there's Joe Arden, and I can't imagine anyone else voicing Knox. From the little quips to the sexy talk to Knox's anguish when he suffers a loss, Joe Arden lays it all out there.
This is my first time reading Hannah Gray's work, and I am impressed. This is not just another sports romance. There's a lot of substance here, and the story gets pretty emotional. Of course, there had to be angst. I mean, it's pretty much a given that Sloane will find out about the ultimatum Knox's father laid down, and it's not hard to figure out that she's going to be upset. So, yeah, angst, but Hannah Gray also knows her stuff when it comes to sarcasm and wit - two of my favorite elements in any genre.
To sum it up, Forget Me, Sloane is an entertaining, steamy romance with engaging characters. Knox and Sloane are a couple you can't help but root for, and I thoroughly enjoyed their story. Now that I've been introduced to Hannah Gray's work, I'll be adding a few more books to my TBR.